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Expect more worrisome variants after Omicron, scientists say

57 Comments
By LAURA UNGAR

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While we constantly harp on those that are anti vaccine, we really need to focus on getting vaccines to the developing world to decrease the probability of more mutations. We can't close our eyes and borders to the disease while only vaccinating the local population. There needs to be global cooperation in getting the vaccines to places where they don't have access to it. Otherwise, it'll only be a matter of time before we get a mutation more deadly that Delta and more contagious than Omicron.

Then we'll be in real trouble.

7 ( +16 / -9 )

Portugal and other areas are effectively 90+% vaccinated and it is still in the midst of virus waves( absolutely without the death of those countries less vaccinated). The article implies that if we get high vaccination rates, then we turn the corner and will not allow for new variants - demonstrably this is not the case since vaccinated are spreading amongst themselves ("ourselves", since I am vaccinated).

This idea if we get high vaccination rates world wide that this goes away doesn't hold water as long as vaccinated people can spread to other vaccinated even if they are less likely to do so.

"We are not descended from fearful men"

8 ( +17 / -9 )

Surely this can’t be true. We’ve been told again and again by several people here that omicron is going to be the end of the pandemic.

0 ( +10 / -10 )

Aly RustomToday  06:56 am JST

While we constantly harp on those that are anti vaccine, we really need to focus on getting vaccines to the developing world to decrease the probability of more mutations. We can't close our eyes and borders to the disease while only vaccinating the local population. There needs to be global cooperation in getting the vaccines to places where they don't have access to it. Otherwise, it'll only be a matter of time before we get a mutation more deadly that Delta and more contagious than Omicron. 

Then we'll be in real trouble.

But the experts in the article use the words “possibly” and “may.” No one said definitely that “It’ll only be a matter of time before we get a mutation more deadly….”

Unless you have evidence to share with us?

2 ( +10 / -8 )

As stated by HIV discoverer Nobel Prize winner Luc Montagnier, you DO NOT vaccinate in the middle of a pandemic FOR THIS EXACT REASON! FOLLOW THE SCIENCE!

4 ( +12 / -8 )

What a fearmongering article.

Doesn't the experts and scientists have nothing better to do?

Instead of spreading fear, better go back to work and develop a vaccine which is really effective!

Tedros said he’d like to see 70% of people in every country vaccinated by mid-year.

With how many shots?

4, 5, 6...?

Experts say the virus won't become endemic like the flu as long as global vaccination rates are so low

The vaccination rates will get higher as soon as the people see that the vaccine is really effective, reliable, the side effects are mild to none and people do not need to take a booster every 10 weeks.

4 ( +19 / -15 )

A large part of the problem is that the anti-whatever-people who continually debunk scientists, doctors, researchers and other true experts, refuse to accept that science isnt always perfect, and because of that refuse to accept or heed warnings.

They think they literally know more than these people who have dedicated their lives, for some anyway, working to find ways to help overcome disease and illness.

But no! They know better, for whatever reason, but mostly I think it's their own inbred inferiority complex about accepting that someone is more educated and intelligent than they are.

Now too with the ability to get all sorts of "fake" science or find one or two quacks who published some off the wall remedies, the "anti" folks grasp at these straws and spread the word to others who cant think, like themselves.

-7 ( +14 / -21 )

With how many shots? 

4, 5, 6...?

The WHO and the EMA have both come out against continuous boosters. You can stop this now.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

The WHO and the EMA have both come out against continuous boosters. You can stop this now.

Oh good to hear that!

So this one booster is the only one and last one and we are safe and protected against all possible upcoming variants?

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

So this one booster is the only one and last one and we are safe and protected against all possible upcoming variants?

Nothing is 100%. Why the panicked fear monging?

1 ( +11 / -10 )

A large part of the problem is that the anti-whatever-people 

Wow, governments and private companies fund and research a dangerous bio weapon, it somehow gets released onto the public globally causing all sorts of trouble and death, but all that is unimportant to you, nope, the ”large part of the problem is that the anti-whatever-people”.

Maybe a bigger picture and less MSM/social justice media is needed.

5 ( +17 / -12 )

letsberealisticToday  07:47 am JST

If the virus is evolving it will eventually become an annual flu variant because killing hosts is not an efficient way to spread.

No. Like all previous flus and viruses it will mutate to the point that it's ineffective. When enough people get vaccinated it won't be such a problem anymore. Just like the 'swine flu' and 'Russian flu' of the 70s, the 'Spanish Flu' of 100 years ago, the 'Hong Kong flu' of 1968, the recent 'norovirus', the 'hepatitis C' outbreak of the 50s and others. The more of the 8 billion on planet Earth get vaxxed, the sooner we can beat this.

This is NOT the end of the world.

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

The final decision rests on the end user.

Absolutely.

And how many times do we see salesmen pushing to buy their product even they know their product is not good.

The people are the end users of the product called Corona Vaccine.

Judgement from many people: far under expectation.

But each product can get an improvement from the maker, especially when it is clear that the first version of the product is not really successful in reality.

I do not often listen to the salesmen.

Before I buy something, I judge by myself.

But I do not give up hope in the makers to improve and adjust their product so that it can be safely and effective established in the reality.

*
1 ( +11 / -10 )

Of course. Since these are not a sterilizing vaccines or anywhere close, every "breakthrough case" presents a strong possibility of a mutation that is more infectious. They vaccines were a bad idea. The world should have waited for better vaccines.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

As stated by HIV discoverer Nobel Prize winner Luc Montagnier, you DO NOT vaccinate in the middle of a pandemic FOR THIS EXACT REASON! FOLLOW THE SCIENCE!

That is just false information from someone that presented exactly zero evidence to defend his point. Variants have not appeared in vaccinated populations completely contradicting his failed predictions, when someone seriously promotes the idea that DNA is an electromagnetic antenna you can be sure he is not in his best anymore.

1 ( +13 / -12 )

Sounds like a never ending stream of 'boosters' each new and improved.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Sounds like a never ending stream of 'boosters' each new and improved.

boosters are only necessary when the risk from the variants justify them, so the choice would be more boosters or more reinfections, it should be obvious which one represents less risk.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

Great news, Virusrex. Glad to hear that infected vaccinated people cannot create a variant. So even though breakthrough infections are now as common as chips, at least the virus knows not to replicate and mutate in those with vaccinations.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Great news, Virusrex. Glad to hear that infected vaccinated people cannot create a variant

Modifying something you can't argue against to make a fake statement that you can is called a strawman fallacy, and only helps to confirm you could not do anything about the original statement.

In biology nothing is 100% sure, but if the chances are hugely more in one situaton than in another then it should be obvious the benefit of choosing the less risky one. In this case a much lower rate and time of replication is key for preventing the appearance of variants, the virus do not need to "know" anything, it simply can't thanks to the adquired immunity. Where have the important variants appeared? in well vaccinated populations or the opposite? That should be enough to demonstrate your original belief as false.

Damn, being an expert must be easy. Don't need to know anything and still get your doomsday articles published.

False dichotomy, not knowing something is not even close to not knowing "anything". If you have scientific arguments to disprove what is written you can just use them, else the experts and the data they use to conclude things are much more likely to be correct than someone that actually do not know anything about the topic.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

Just be careful

wear a mask

pray for the best

don't worry

enjoy your life

life is short and articles like this spread fear and sadness

2022 is going to be a great Year and have no fear even if omicron is here!

8 ( +11 / -3 )

But the experts in the article use the words “possibly” and “may.” No one said definitely that “It’ll only be a matter of time before we get a mutation more deadly….”

And are you willing to take that risk?

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Sure, carry on with the religious fervour, I am sure we are just around the corner in getting close to 100% of the world vaccinated with the appropriate number of jabs.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

But the so-called IHU variant identified in France and being monitored by the WHO has 46 mutations and doesn’t seem to have spread much at all.

The IHU is a great institute in terms of treating and researching infectious diseases. They've been talking about variants long before anyone else. It was headed by the world's greatest expert of infectious diseases, who is not antivax, but has long been critical of the monovalent vaccines. In his latest update, he explained how places that relied heavily on this type of vaccines have done much worse.

He also previously explained how Frances deadliest variant likely originated from a mink farm. So unless we vaccinate or eliminate all potential animal reservoirs, variants will come up.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

In my post, I asked a question.

A question that is obviously invalid for anybody with common sense.

About Haa, I am not sure, but you again, as always ignore the question and refused to answer.

Refuse so much that you say thanks for the answer? again, if your only argument are false things that can be easily proved so you are making evident you have no argument at all.

On the other way when a question is made to you to exemplify why yourse are not valid or considered loaded (so it can only accept invalid answers) you have never answered them, even if they are repeated.

Does that mean that this is the only and last booster and we are protected against all upcoming variants or what else is the reason why Who and Ema are against continous boosters?

The answer is no, as it has always been and what you have been told repeatedly, this means most of the population do not need an extra booster according to the best available science to this point. But without a time machine nobody can guarantee new variants, or even more diseases will not appear and make it necessary, if you had read the article the opposite situation is being discussed as possible.

And please explain why the Who and Ema, which are called experts, said they are against continious booster shots.

Because for most of the population they are not necessary, there is no point in doing something and assuming the costs (the most important of which is to limit the doses available to other countries) if the reduction of risks do not justify it.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

The IHU is a great institute in terms of treating and researching infectious diseases. They've been talking about variants long before anyone else

Unfortunately the IHU is now considered a subpar institution thanks to its director promotin pseudoscience, fabricating and falsifying data to have papers published and for unethical human experimentation and fraud. At this point it is in full damage control of its reputation, something made difficult because members of the same institute have supported the accusations against the director so it may be impossible to recover its good name without ousting him.

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

So it would be good to catch omicron before a deadlier variant appears.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

So it would be good to catch omicron before a deadlier variant appears

Because the milder disease produced by Omicron, and its antigenic differences from other variants make the protection against them much lower than what can be achieved by a booster, except with much higher risks? That would be the opposite of "good"

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

Sounds like a never ending stream of 'boosters' each new and improved.

Yes, but so far the boosters haven't been new and improved. They still have the same mRNA that was in the 1st and 2nd doses. These vaccines need boosters because the wane rapidly.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

They urge wider vaccination now, while today's shots still work.

Today’s shots don’t even prevent omicron. How will they prevent future variants?

3 ( +11 / -8 )

The science is settled’

me: why did this happen which is not what science told us is true?

Oh…the science “changed”.

ok, but wasn’t the science alreadry “settled” when I tried to question it?

0 ( +9 / -9 )

Today’s shots don’t even prevent omicron. How will they prevent future variants?

By the same mechanism they prevent COVID, limiting the time and extent of the viral replication, it is there in the article as well.

These vaccines need boosters because the wane rapidly.

No, some people need boosters of the vaccine because the total immunity from the vaccine is reduced for the variants, so even a small reduction without clinical or epidemiological importance for the original strains ends up elevating the risk only in the case of the variants.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

me: why did this happen which is not what science told us is true?

The experts warned about the appearance of variants and their possible effect on immunity even before the vaccines were approved for use in the population. Science completely told us this was going to happen.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

The answer is no

So, that means this booster is not the last and we are not protected against upcoming variants.

But for most of the population they are not necessary.

this means most of the population do not need an extra booster

Now I am confused.

How will the most of the populataion then be protected against upcoming variants if Boosters are not necessary for them?

Still by the first 2 shots?

if the reduction of risks do not justify it.

By risks you mean, the risks of getting sick, hospitalized..., right?

So if the reduction of getting sick, hospitalized does not justify booster shots means the effectivness of the booster shots is almost zero.

Then why on earth, are we getting pushed so strongly to take the booster, if for most of the population they are not necessary, because their effectivness is almost zero?

If I judge your answer correctly, Booster shots are not really necessary, for most of the population, according the science.

How can the population know, for whom a booster is necessary or not?

By age? Over 70 years or so?

By current health conditions?

These are serious questions.

I really try to understand that.

Because my company plans to get me the booster end of february.

Is it necessary for me take the booster or not?

Hmmm...if I judge your post correctly, then No, it is not necessary for me.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

By the same mechanism they prevent COVID, 

The vaccines don’t prevent COVID.

2 ( +12 / -10 )

The science is settled’

me: why did this happen which is not what science told us is true?

Oh…the science “changed”.

Yes, the "scientific consensus" of all scientific institutions of the world, supported by solid irrefutable data... has changed.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Monty. The first booster (3rd shot) is recommended for everybody because it does offer further protection. Some authorities are recommending and providing a fourth. Most are not. The WHO and EMA are recommending against taking the vaccine boosters at continuous shortened intervals, not recommending against boosters totally. For most people, as virusrex pointed out, continuous boosters are not necessary and we don’t need a booster against every new variant. There may be further boosters in future, but there is no 100% guarantee of that.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

No. Like all previous flus and viruses it will mutate to the point that it's ineffective. When enough people get vaccinated it won't be such a problem anymore.

But not everyone can get vaccinated. Some people can’t or don’t want it.

Just like the 'swine flu' and 'Russian flu' of the 70s, the 'Spanish Flu' of 100 years ago, the 'Hong Kong flu' of 1968, the recent 'norovirus', the 'hepatitis C' outbreak of the 50s and others. The more of the 8 billion on planet Earth get vaxxed, the sooner we can beat this. 

We keep hearing this and yet, the numbers continue to grow even more people now that have been infected are getting it and we were told to get the shot things would be better and when that didn’t work they told us we needed to get a booster shot and it seems like it will never end. So at this point it seems Corona will be with us forever despite us getting vaccinated.

This is NOT the end of the world.

You would think that, but sadly, Not according to the media and some of our leaders and the way they continue to keep this virus front and center over everything else, how can anyone have hope or feel positive when our leaders continue to keep us all pinned down.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

People are catching on.

“Only 31 percent of Americans trust Fauci's COVID advice and just 45 percent approve of Biden's pandemic response, another dire poll for the administration shows”

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

“Only 31 percent of Americans trust Fauci's COVID advice and just 45 percent approve of Biden's pandemic response, another dire poll for the administration shows”

How did Biden and Fauci enter this thread? They aren’t mentioned in the article. Why are you so obsessed with those two?

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

I don't get how 'experts' keep recommending things that obviously don't work, why they don't look at other avenues is beyond me.

I agree. This continued push for wide adoption of ivermectin treatment that some experts are involved with is ludicrous.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

According to many of those quoted in the article, we remain ever at risk of more virulent variants as long as large swathes of the globe remain unvaccinated. Given the fact potential animal reservoirs have been identified, how long before we're being urged to vaccinate family pets, livestock, even wild deer too?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The first booster (3rd shot) is recommended for everybody because it does offer further protection.

For most people, as virusrex pointed out, continuous boosters are not necessary

So you are saying, the 3rd booster should be taken by everyone because it gives further protection, but then it is finished.

4t, 5th...for most of the people not necessary.

How long does the 3rd booster gives you further protection?

According the latest information: 10 weeks. (therefore some authorities pushed already for the 4th booster)

After this 10 weeks, what to do?

How can the people get further protection if the protection from the first 2 shots and the 3rd booster is gone?

1 ( +6 / -5 )

What the article mention is reasonable,but it still doesn't explain to me why we have to get booster shots. After being vaccinated with two doses, the body should at least able to resist the virus sever effect and prevent more deaths. So shouldn't the limited supplies of doses instead go to other people who didn't receive any shots? So i don't see a point why governments are pushing for a 3rd and 4th shot or any booster shot in fact. They should instead send all the extra doses to those who haven't receive any doses yet. This way variants would at has less change of appearing as this article explain.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

How long does the 3rd booster gives you further protection?

According the latest information: 10 weeks. 

Lots of famous politicians and celebrities are well beyond 10 weeks already. so their vaccines and their boosters have almost zero protection remaining.?

What to do?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Expect more fear mongering and disinformation and deceit to be released further destabilizing the mental and emotional well-being of the general public whilst the hidden agenda continues

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

the booster won’t last long enough to prevent your next anti vax post.

It obviously doesn’t work when people who had 3 shots in less than a year still get COVID at this rate that we are seeing.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

So you are saying, the 3rd booster should be taken by everyone because it gives further protection, but then it is finished.

No. I am not saying that. I did say there is not a 100% guarantee that boosters won’t be needed in the future. I said that the WHO and EMA are both against CONTINUED SHORT TERM boosters. I said that the 3rd shot does protect and most people won’t need the fourth. Perhaps what I should have said was the 3rd shot does protect and most people won’t need the fourth in the short term. The latest information does not show the protection from the booster has gone after 10 weeks. It shows a reduction of around 25% efficacy, but not that it has gone.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

virusrex

The experts warned about the appearance of variants and their possible effect on immunity even before the vaccines were approved for use in the population. Science completely told us this was going to happen.

There is no such thing as unified "the experts" and "science" which is unchangable. Fact ist, experts have been all over the place regarding this thing from the start. What you call "the experts" and "science" is simply the corporate media narrative.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

When a person uses the internet to validate their source of information by providing a link or using Google, definitely does not prove it to be the ultimate truth.

In the 3rd year of a global pandemic you would think awareness of the efficiency of the covid vaccines is better understood.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Hiro

 After being vaccinated with two doses, the body should at least able to resist the virus sever effect and prevent more deaths.

There is still good protection against severe effects and death. The boosters improve the odds, but I think you are correct, more work needs to be done to get vaccines to the populations that need them.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

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